Pongamia Tree Named &#39;K206&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Pongamia  tree ( Pongamia pinnata  (L) Pierre) named ‘K206’ is provided herein.  Pongamia  tree ‘K206’ is distinguished by having an open canopy, medium sized leaves with olive green color, short current season&#39;s twigs, long inflorescences, and abundant production of seed pods coupled with the high oil content of the seeds.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/722,102, filed Aug. 23, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Latin name: Botanical classification: Pongamia pinnata (L) Pierre.

Varietal denomination: The varietal denomination of the claimed variety of Pongamia tree is ‘K206’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pongamia is a species of tree that belongs to the Fabaceae family of plants. The botanical classification of Pongamia is Pongamia pinnata (L) Pierre, although these plants are also known by a number of synonymous botanical classifications including, for example, Millettia pinnata (L) Panigrahi, Derris indica (Lam.) Bennet, Pongamia glabra Vent, and Cytisus pinnatus (L).

As a member of the Fabaceae family of plants, Pongamia trees are legumes and are capable of fixing their own nitrogen. Pongamia can grow well in a variety of environmental conditions, including areas with malnourished soil. Pongamia seeds also contain a profile of chemicals having a number of uses including, for example, commercial preparation into skin ointment and as a fuel source.

Pongamia trees are capable of growing in otherwise challenging environmental conditions and produce seed oils with beneficial properties. There exists a need for Pongamia varieties that are stable, high yielding, and agronomically sound.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to meet these needs, the present disclosure is directed to an improved variety of Pongamia tree. In particular, the disclosure relates to a new and distinct variety of Pongamia tree (Pongamia pinnata (L) Pierre), which has been denominated as ‘K206’.

Pongamia tree ‘K206’ was discovered growing in a cultivated area in southeastern Queensland, Australia, wherein it and neighboring trees are grown for shade and other landscape amenities. The parentage of this tree is unknown, as is typical for trees cultivated in landscape plantings of this type.

The original donor tree (and source of clonal material) of ‘K206’ was identified and selected primarily on the basis of its consistent production of large and abundant seed pods, coupled with the high oil content (38.4%, dry-weight basis) of its large seeds. This selected individual was assigned identity number ‘K206’. Subsequently, branch cuttings were collected from the donor tree and rooted by treating the cuttings with the rooting hormone indolebutyric acid (IBA) using either an aqueous solution of IBA (500 ppm) or a commercially available rooting powder. Dehydration of the cuttings was avoided by placing them in moistened rooting medium within a humid enclosed chamber. Rooting success varies from one collection event to another, which is normal for cuttings from mature trees. Typically, 10% or more of the cuttings initiated root development within 3-4 weeks.

Pongamia tree ‘K206’ has been asexually reproduced via rooted cuttings in the Brisbane area of Queensland, Australia, as well as in Texas and Florida, U.S.A. In addition, shoots of ‘K206’ have also been grafted onto seedling rootstock using either a top-cleft graft or a side-veneer graft. These asexually propagated plants remain true-to-type, and show considerable resemblance among one another after accounting for variation in overall size of the propagated cuttings and seedling rootstocks.

Pongamia tree ‘K206’ is particularly and distinctly characterized by its open canopy, upright branchlets, short current season's branches bearing long inflorescences, and copious quantities of fruit pods containing seeds with high seed-oil content (38.4%, dry-weight basis). Pods tend to appear in dense clusters. ‘K206’ demonstrates excellent vigor and is reasonably resistant to insect and disease pests.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Pongamia tree ‘K206’ is illustrated by the accompanying photographs, which show e.g. the plant's form, branches, foliage, leaves, trunk, pods, and seeds as specifically described below. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of the whole tree of Pongamia tree ‘K206’ in Queensland, Australia.

FIG. 2 illustrates a view of the whole tree of Pongamia tree ‘K206’ in Queensland, Australia.

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of the tree trunk of Pongamia tree ‘K206’ in Queensland, Australia.

FIG. 4 illustrates a view of a 5-year-old clonally propagated ‘K206’ tree in Florida, USA.

FIG. 5 illustrates a Florida-grown ‘K206’ tree with the smooth bark on the main trunk. Mottled patches on the bark primarily reflect differences in lichen growth. Stretched lenticular scars appear as horizontal striations along the bark.

FIG. 6 illustrates the short current season's branchlets and odd-pinnately compound leaves from a Florida-grown ‘K206’ tree. The compound leaves generally have 7 leaflets. The leaflet at the bottom (right) is oriented to show the underside.

FIG. 7 illustrates the irregular branching pattern arising from the leaf axils and short current season's twigs from a Florida-grown ‘K206’ tree. Leaves were removed for clarity.

FIG. 8 illustrates the long inflorescences from a Florida-grown ‘K206’ tree.

FIG. 9 illustrates semi-mature pods along with fully mature dry pods of Pongamia tree ‘K206’. Dry pods are split open to show seed. The branch shown has 4 rachises borne in the axils of basal leaves. Each rachis bears 3-6 immature pods. Leaves were removed for clarity.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed description sets forth the phenotypic characteristics and the distinctive features of Pongamia tree ‘K206’. Descriptions are from trees that are 5 years post-transplant into the field in Florida, USA unless otherwise noted. Standardized color designations herein are with reference to The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Mini Colour Chart.

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Fabaceae.         -   Botanical.—Pongamia pinnata (L) Pierre.         -   Common name.—Pongam tree, pongam oiltree, or Pongamia. -   Tree:     -   -   Size.—Vigorous tree of moderate size and stature, 7 m in             height. Crown diameter, measured at the drip-line in two             dimensions, is 5 m×6 m.         -   Trunk.—The trunk is bifurcated at a height of 60 cm from the             ground. The trunk can have numerous epicormic branches at             its base (this trait is somewhat variable among different             trees). The fresh vegetative growth on an epicormic shoot             ranges from 15 cm to 50 cm long and from about 3.5 mm to 8.0             mm in diameter.         -   Bark.—Light olive grey in color (RHS 197B) with smooth or             faintly vertically fissured bark on the main trunk.             Light-colored greyish yellow green (RHS 197D) and             dark-colored greyish yellow green (RHS 198A) mottled patches             on the bark reflect differences in lichen growth. Branchlets             are hairless with pale stipule scars.         -   Form.—Decurrent crown form with open foliage and upright             outer branchlets. Periodic pruning may be used for size             maintenance. -   Branches     -   -   Branch length.—Average breast-height diameter of the two             major stems is 9 cm. The color of these branches closely             resembles the color of the main stem.         -   Branching habit.—Many branched limbs. Growth and size of             lateral branches are considerably less than that of the main             branches. Many smaller branches occur higher in the crown.         -   Buds and shoots.—Young shoots emerge from naked lateral             buds, with the most distal bud giving rise to a terminal             shoot. Buds are hemispherical and range from 2.5 mm to 4.5             mm wide at their base. Buds protrude outward 1.5 mm to 3.0             mm from the stem and are between 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm thick. The             typical axillary bud is strong yellow green in color (RHS             143A), and the younger terminal bud is strong yellow green             in color (RHS 144A).         -   Terminal shoots.—The seasonal elongation of terminal shoots             on main branches is only moderate, with an average of 20 cm             and encompassing 7 leaf nodes. The average stem diameter of             terminal shoots is 12.5 mm.         -   Lateral shoots.—Seasonal elongation of lateral shoots is             considerably short, with an average length of 20 cm and             bearing 6 leaf nodes. The average diameter of lateral shoots             is 3.5 mm.         -   Shoot and twig surfaces.—Woody twigs have leaf scars that             are 3.5 mm to 4.0 mm wide, showing traces of three vascular             bundles. The central scar tends to have a border that is             less distinct than the outer two. The youngest shoots are             distinctly strong yellow green in color (RHS 143A) and             flexible, with no lenticels apparent to the naked eye. As             shoots mature, their color shifts to light greyish olive             (RHS 195A) and prominent lenticels become visible as raised,             light yellow-colored (RHS 162C) corky circles approximately             1.5 mm in diameter. -   Leaves:     -   -   General.—Alternate, imparipinnate with long slender             leafstalk, and hairless. Most leaves show 7 leaflets.         -   Size and shape.—The outline of a compound leaf is roughly             oval to elliptic, with an average length of 25 cm and an             average width of 15 cm.         -   Leaflets.—Blades of individual leaflets are ovate to cordate             in shape with a cuspidate to mucronate apex. Leaflet             venation tends to be arcuate. Blades of terminal leaflets             have an average length of 8 cm and an average width of 6 cm.             The smallest leaflet on a leaf tends to be a basal leaflet             with an average length of 7 cm and an average width of 5 cm.         -   Leaflet color, surface, and texture.—Leaflets are glabrous             on both abaxial and adaxial surfaces. Young leaves exhibit a             strikingly glossy cuticle on their adaxial surface. The             adaxial (upper) and abaxial surface of a young leaf is             strong yellow green in color (RHS 144A). The adaxial surface             of an old leaf is moderate olive green in color (RHS 137A),             and the abaxial surface of an old leaf is moderate yellow             green in color (RHS 137C) with prominent veins beneath.             Leaflets turn a darker shade of green as they age and become             increasingly sclerophyllous.         -   Stipules.—A pair of small stipules subtends the youngest             leaves on a shoot. They remain for only a short duration             before they dehisce. -   Flowers and inflorescences:     -   -   General.—Hermaphroditic florets are borne on an             indeterminate inflorescence.         -   Inflorescence structure.—Several florets are clustered into             a fascicle node, which are generally evenly distributed             along a rachis. The entire inflorescence is a pseudoraceme.             Most inflorescences are unbranched, but some are branched.         -   Position in crown.—‘K206’ has relatively long inflorescences             with an average length of 19 cm. There are an average of 4             inflorescences per lateral shoot. Inflorescences are borne             in the basal leaf axils of the current year's vegetative             flush, near the distal end of the prior year's shoot growth.             Each rachis may hold an average of 95 florets.         -   Florets.—Emerge acropetally from a fused ovoid calyx with             entire margins and glabrous texture. The calyx has an             average depth of 4.0 mm and width of 4.5 mm, and is greyish             red in color (RHS 176A) on both the inner and outer             surfaces. The average length of pedicles is 7.0 mm and the             average diameter is 0.5 mm. Pedicels can be dark purple (RHS             83A). Zygomorphic florets consist of 2 keel, 2 wing, and a             standard (or banner) petal, and have a depth of 12.1 mm and             a diameter of 10.5 mm. The banner petal is very light purple             in color (RHS 75C) towards the edges; and has a strong             yellow green (RHS 144A) streak in the middle. The banner             petal's apex shows a notch, and the base is rounded. Wing             petals are typically 7.7 mm long and the exposed part is             moderate purplish pink in color (RHS N74D). The two keel             petals are fused together enclosing the stamens and pistil,             it is white in color (RHS NN155B), and the distal edges             display moderate yellow color (RHS 161A). The 10 stamens are             fused and enclose the pistil.         -   Flowering period.—Relative to other Pongamia cultivars in             the general area, ‘K206’ tends to flower about mid-range             into the flowering period (from November to December in             southeastern Queensland, Australia; and early-mid June in             Florida, USA). -   Fruits:     -   -   General.—Only one of the two ovules develop into a seed in             most of the pods. Immediately after fertilization, the             peduncular ovule usually aborts and remains as a small             unfilled seed. Only the stigmatic ovule develops into seed,             thus pods usually bear a single seed.         -   Shape and color.—Developing fruits first appear as moderate             yellow green (RHS 146C) flattened pods, expanding in size             into a moderate orange yellow (RHS 164B) woody appearance             when pods mature.         -   Crown distribution.—Pods can occur throughout the crown, but             are most prevalent towards the outer portions of the crown.         -   Fruit clusters.—Pods within a cluster are connected by the             rachis of the inflorescence from which they developed, with             an average of 8 pods/bunch.         -   Pod dimensions.—Average length of the pod is 33.6 mm,             average width of the pod is 18.2 mm, and average thickness             of the pod is 9.5 mm. Pods range in shape from oval to             half-moon, with an acuminate tip, and average 3.5 g in             weight. -   Seeds:     -   -   General.—Typically borne singly in pods. Sometimes an             aborted (and much smaller) seed occurs alongside a             fully-formed seed. About 1-5% of the pods may have two             seeds.         -   Seed coat.—Seeds are covered by a thin seed coat that is             usually moderate orange yellow in color (RHS 165C) when             matured.         -   Seed size.—Average seed length is 22.3 mm, average seed             width is 13.6 mm, and average seed thickness is 5.8 mm.             Average seed weight is 1.9 g.         -   Seed oil.—Oil content is 38.4% oil on a dry-weight basis,             which is higher than many other Pongamia cultivars.         -   Nut crop.—Mostly a regular bearer (generally in 2 of 3             years).         -   Crop frequency.—Most Pongamia cultivars rarely produce             abundant nut crops across multiple years. ‘K206’ bears pods             more regularly than many other cultivars, generally             producing a heavier crop in 2 out of 3 years, and a somewhat             lighter crop in the third year.         -   Ripening.—Fruit ripening begins in late October and extends             into December in southeast Queensland, Australia, and from             June-July in Florida, USA. If undisturbed, pods remain in             the crown for several weeks after they ripen.

COMPARISON WITH SIMILAR VARIETIES

Unlike Pongamia cultivars ‘K128b (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,062), ‘K140’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,060), and ‘K606’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,061), ‘K206’ has a tendency to produce higher yields of pods in about 2 of 3 years, with pod yields in the third year being somewhat less. This pattern of pod yield tends to resemble the yield pattern of cultivar ‘K207’ (U.S. Plant patent application pending), although not necessarily during coincident years.

Seed oil content of ‘K206’, at 38.4% (dry-weight basis), is similar to that of ‘K128b’ (38.5%) and ‘K606’ (38.6%), and is less than that of ‘K207’ (40.6%) and ‘K140’ (41.4%).

Inflorescences of ‘K206’ are long and generally contain large numbers of florets (averaging 95) as compared to cultivars ‘K128b’, ‘K140’, ‘K606’, and ‘K207’.

‘K206’ is similar to ‘K606’ in showing more vertically (upright) oriented branchlets than semi-pendulous branchlets (as found in ‘K128b’ and ‘K207’) and very pendulous branchlets (as found in ‘K140’). This gives trees a more open canopy and allows more sunlight to reach leaves in the more interior portions of the canopy.

On ‘K206’ trees, relatively few axillary buds elongate and develop into current season's branchlets. This contrasts with ‘K207’, which shows very regular branches emerging from most of the auxillary buds. This may be related to the tendency of ‘K206’ to have a relatively open canopy.

Leaves on ‘K206’ trees usually contain 7 leaflets, and in that sense resemble cultivars ‘K128b’ and ‘K140’. This contrasts with cultivar ‘K207’, in which leaves include a mixture of 5 or 7 leaflets. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pongamia pinnata (L) Pierre tree named ‘K206’ as shown and described herein. 